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Luke 16:1-15 - Lectionary for Pentecost 18 C

9/15/2016

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Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

The Gospel for this week is Luke 16:1-15. This is probably one of the most difficult of the parables of Jesus to explain. It is so challenging primarily because the main character, the “unjust steward,” is, in fact, called “unjust” in Jesus’ story. If it were simply a matter of a master being pleased with a steward who is shrewd enough to provoke debtors to some sort of payment we would be able to understand it easily. But Jesus distinctly calls this steward “unjust.”

Does he then want Christians to be unjust? Not at all. However, when push comes to shove, it is within the master’s desire for the debts to be collected, even partially. The steward did not have authority to reduce the debts, but it was, in fact, the master’s will that the debts be collected. Though the steward was acting out of a self-interest which was not godly, his self-interested actions actually were in agreement with the master’s desire.

How many of our actions are self-interested? If we consider it fairly, we are very likely to find that none of our actions are genuinely done with no self interest. Even in our good deeds, we desire people to think well of us, to repay us, or we want to assuage guilt for something that we have failed to do in the past or will surely fail in the future. We act in our own interest, even if we have someone else’s interest in mind. How does God respond to our poorly motivated, partially accomplished good deeds? He commends us. It is not as if we accomplished something completely good. We didn’t. But we did do something which was pleasing to God.

May we have grace to care for our neighbors in this world, even our work is incomplete and our motivation is not perfect.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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1 Timothy 2:1-15 - Lectionary for Pentecost 18C

9/14/2016

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Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Our Epistle reading for this week, 1 Timothy 2:1-15, discusses the prayer life of the Christian and the general demeanor and attitude which Paul considers appropriate for Christians. Let’s look at the first portion of the passage. It calls for prayer for all sorts of leaders, in order that we may have a “quiet” life. Just as we pray for our friends and neighbors, we are also to pray for kings and other leaders. They all need prayer. In this world, Paul observes quite rightly, there is not one person who does not need God’s wisdom and grace. While the challenges and temptations faced by different sorts of people will be different, all people face trouble.

Paul doesn’t really tell Timothy what kind of prayers to pray for rulers. He just tells him to pray. However, immediately after the command, we have some hints about the content of the prayers. The outcome of the prayers is that we can live a quiet and peaceful life. Maybe we pray that our leaders will have the wisdom to keep us out of war and turmoil. Paul also moves on to talk about Jesus as the mediator between God and man. Jesus’ desire is that all should be saved. This, again, points to the desired content of our prayers.

What about the situation in which the leaders are evil? Paul was certainly familiar with that situation. He was executed in prison by imperial command. The truth of his political climate did not change Paul’s resolve that God’s people should pray for their leaders. Just as Jesus cares about Nero, he cares about the leaders of our modern societies.

So let’s pray! All levels of our society, from the unemployed and homeless to the CEO to the political leader, require prayer.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Amos 8:4-7 - Lectionary for Pentecost 18C

9/13/2016

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Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.

Our Old Testament reading this week is from Amos 8:4-7. In this passage, God, through the prophet, expresses his weariness with the people who wish God’s day of rest would be over. The Old Testament prescribed a Sabbath, a day of rest, the last day of every seven day period. This day of rest was good for the people, good for livestock, good for land and business. It reflected the fact that after seven days of creation, God made a day of rest. It’s a time to enjoy the way God provides for his creation. In the New Testament we see that in his work, atoning for the sins of the world, Jesus rested on the Sabbath in the tomb before rising again on the first day of the week to continue the work of spreading the news of new life.

In the time of Amos there is a serious problem. It is a spiritual problem which goes beyond denying our need to rest and recognize God’s provision.  On the Sabbath, the people of Israel were eager to get busy with their commerce. That in itself ran counter to God’s Law. How much more did it go counter to His character? The desire was not only to care for business, but to engage in business which crushed and harmed the poor and needy of the land. This is never acceptable to God, Sabbath or not. He always tells his people to treat others with charitable justice. We are never supposed to overburden our neighbor. Yet the people of Israel wished to do it on the Sabbath, a day of rest.

Is there rest for God’s people? In the New Testament we see that Jesus himself become the Sabbath rest for His people. May we have the grace to seek that rest in Christ, not only for ourselves, but for our neighbors as well.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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Psalm 113 - Lectionary for Pentecost 18 C

9/12/2016

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Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.


The first three verses of our Psalm for today, Psalm 113, simply reiterate the claim that the LORD is to be praised. Note throughout Psalm 113 that the standard English convention of the name LORD all in capitals is used to show the Hebrew text using the personal name used of God, rather than a title, such as Lord or Master.


God is the one who is named. He is a very particular God. He is not some vague concept. And this name is worthy of praise. Verses 4-9 go on to give several reasons. Notice the parallelism on consecutive lines.

v. 4 - high / above the heavens
vv. 5-6 - incomparable / able to look down on creation

Is that “looking down” a matter of despising the creation? Not at all.

vv. 7-8 - raises the poor / lifts the needy / places with princes
v. 9 - restores fertility/prosperity to the childless

The LORD is the one pictured as caring for all his creation, doing good, though the rest of creation may try to do evil. He is the one who works redemption and reconciliation for those who are oppressed.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

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    About Throwing Inkwells

    When Martin Luther was dealing with struggles in his life he once saw what appeared to be an angelic being. Not trusting that he was going to be informed by someone other than the God revealed in Scripture, he took the appearance to be untrustworthy and hurled his inkwell at it. The chipped place in the plaster wall is still visible at the Wartburg Castle, though apparently the ink stain on the wall has been refreshed periodically by the caretaker.

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